Books, Screens, and In-Betweens

On February 1, 2026 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized31 Comments

Hello everyone! I am writing this morning surrounded by jumping, bouncing zooming kittens, a sleeping cat, and a chatty little boy. I have already consumed two cups of coffee, which is my limit, but I could use another one to keep up with most of this crowd today.

It was a pretty slow, lazy week again. The cold is just keeping us inside right now. We are doing our best though!

Books:

Last week I read Secret Nights and Northern Lights which was a light easy read. I’d been reading a lot of moody winter books and I needed a bit of a shake up. This book was the antidote I needed!

I am still debating what I want to read this week. Do I want something light again? Something wintry? I am picking this one up from the library tomorrow, and I am pretty sure that is the one I am going to start. I learned about it over at Jeanie’s blog, Marmalade Gypsy and she loves it so much I had to look for it. Way to go my library! It has had all sorts of books that are older and out of print that I have been looking for this year. Never change, library.

I am also in the mood for something scary, or a ghost story. I need to look for one while I am at the library.

Screens:

This week Billy and I reunited with our old friends Ruth, Peter, and Alex, and watched Wartime Farm for the millionth time. We also watched Victorian Bakers, which wasn’t as good as the farm shows, but it was still very good. It also had the added bonus of making us want to bake bread. And eat bread.

Last week I posted a few times.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Discoveries

Coffee Catch Up

Mini Book Reviews

I’m playing with my little designs. Do I want one design for all, different? I will keep playing. I enjoy fiddling around with Canva anyway. Lol.

In-Betweens:

I got my first snail mail letter last week! Thank you Tina! I mailed one back to you – I was going to email and tell you then felt like that was silly. And now here I am posting it on my blog! LOL. I will get the hang of this eventually.

I also sent out a few other snail mail letters while I was at it, to the pen pals I have picked up from the Analog Life Project, and Wyatt sent one to his friend Little Miss, Lisa’s daughter.

I am really enjoying letter writing! And of course, picking out stationery.

Around the Internets:

Lisa at Boondock Ramblings and I host a monthly bookish link party called A Good Book and A Cup of Tea. This link-up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!). Each link party will be open for a month. You can find that link up for this month here. I was a very poor co-host this month as I was doing some life re-organizing and I am still catching up on some things.

And a kitten pic to end this post.

And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Discoveries

On January 27, 2026 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized39 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Today’s Prompt: Bookish Discoveries I Made in 2025 (New-to-you authors you discovered, new genres you learned you like, new bookish resources you found, friends you made, local bookshops you found, a book club you joined, etc.)

Hello everyone! Happy Tuesday!

Let’s just get into it shall we?

Let’s start with Crafternoon! Crafternoon is a zoom event that I co-host with Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings where we meet up with fellow bloggers that we have met online by visiting their bookish blogs, and we talk about whatever while we craft. I always have a lot of fun catching up with everyone.

Next up is my reading journal. I loved keeping a fun reading journal of the books I read. I add quotes and my thoughts, stickers, and what not to it. I love doing it and I love looking back through it too.

Then there are my monthly outings with Wyatt, for books and coffee and cookies (although he doesn’t drink any coffee, he drinks hot chocolate)

We haven’t been able to do lately – in December we both were sick, and then this month it has been too cold! Hopefully we can get out and go in February!!

I also had a book outing with my cousin! He took me to Sip and Read in Detroit for my birthday, and treated me to a glass of wine and a book. We had such a great time and we need to go again soon. My treat this time!

We also went to a book festival in Toldeo, Oh last year, and had a great time. We met up with my cousin and his family. His son and his wife are big readers too. We had a blast!!

Ok this next one, I am not sure if it counts but I am counting it. Billy and I went on a date to theatrical Poe evening. It was amazing. There were a few readings from Poe and it was very atmospheric. I had so much fun!

Last year I also started reading more translated fiction that wasn’t Japanese or Korean. I read Of Salt and Shore, which is Dutch, as well as Seacrow Island which is Swedish.

I almost forgot our Little Free Library! We built a Little Free Library this year, to cheer Wyatt up during his surgery. He loves going out and checking the books. It is really a lot of fun for all of us.

And I think (?) that is everything!

I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile!

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Wishlist

On December 23, 2025December 23, 2025 By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized40 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl!

Prompt: Books I hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes

Hello everyone, and happy holidays!

Today’s post is all about posting the books we would most like to add to our collection. My list is usually comprised of books I have already and loved, because I tend to read most books from the library first. Then if I love them, I want to have my own copy. But some books are on my list because I can’t get them from the library.

The other aspect of this prompt is the chance to gift another blogger a book from their list. I do love to pick a blogger or two (by putting all the names of people with posted lists in a hat and having Wyatt pick) to gift a book. As Jana says, “This week’s topic, Bookish Wishes, is a popular one and one I host twice a year (around Christmas and again in June)! List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wishes. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address or include the email address associated with your e-reader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!”